Having about 20 years of study and practice in various healing systems, I recommend this book as a practical and comprehensive tool for the study of Reiki and life energy. It will be of interest to newcomers for the history and basic techniques of Reiki. It will be instructive to practitioners and teachers through the case histories and integration with chakra energetics model. The knowledge presented is in the tradition of the original method which provides energy balancing at all levels-physical,mental,emotional, spiritual. This book illustrates the on-going development of Reiki as a growing complentary modality in the healing arts. John Harvey Gray is one of the original US Masters and has dedicated his life to sharing and teaching Reiki through classes and the establishment of Reiki wellness centers.

This book has become something of a classic. It unearths a mass of detail about Arendt's life - the pages on her upbringing and experiences before her flight from Europe are particularly memorable. However, the main focus is kept firmly on the way Arendt's thought developed during her life. The author [who knew Arendt in her later years] is well versed in philosophy and political thought and so her account becomes a useful companion to studies of Arendt's many contributions to modern thought: 'totalitarianism', 'the banality of evil', the loss of public space in the contemporary west and much more. This book is not the kind of simple minded attempt to reduce thought to biography that we see all too often. While it is no hagiography [Arendt comes in for some serious criticism on occasion], it ends with a sense of celebration for a life well lived, one of passionate thinking motivated by 'love of the world'

More families today look like ours -- an assortment, rather than a matching set -- but it's still rare enough to find a book that features a family like ours. Heart of Mine tells the story of a Vietnamese baby girl's adoption in perfect toddler/preschooler language. Every child's favorite story is her own story, and finding herself in a book like this means a lot to my daughter.

Well written, easy to read and understand. A must have for any woman who wants the power to take care of herself without involving the male-dominated medical profession.

Interesting and informative. An excellent source on the development of gardens and the people who were instruemental in their development. One of the few books that ties together various aspects of historical horticulture in an in-depth way. While not a reference text where you can scan the index to see its value, it is worthy of a full read..

A good reference for Master Gardeners interested in the stories of how gardening came to be here in the States.

I have found this book to be very useful for writing all my research papers. It explains very clearly and simply how to research and organize a research paper, as well as how to document sources. It also gives pointers on how to argue your thesis and use logic effectively. There are many helpful exercises throughout the book. I would highly recommend this book to teachers and parents homeschooling their children as an effective method of teaching kids how to write research papers. My only complaint is the lack of an index to look things up in.

Elisabeth Ogilvie is a true Maineac -- a writer who brings her beloved state of Maine vividly alive for her readers. Miss Ogilvie is perhaps best known for her "Tide Trilogy," a family-saga series set on fictional Bennett's Island, and for the "Jennie" series, about a Scottish emigre's journey to the New World and a new life. But she has written many other novels, and "Image of a Lover" (1975) happens to be my favorite. Set in 1895, it is the story of Seafair, a young teacher who spends a summer with her best friend, Miranda, at Miranda's island home off the coast of Maine. Over the course of the summer, passion and rivalry lead to murder -- but this is no ordinary Gothic romance. As perhaps the darkest of Miss Ogilvie's novels, "Image of a Lover" brilliantly succeeds in portraying a seemingly idyllic world torn apart by a single person's madness -- very much in the tradition of "Jane Eyre," though with a more contemporary sensibility. This compelling novel, long out of print, is one I would love to see Down East Books reissue in a new edition, as is happening with some of Miss Ogilvie's other classic Maine books. It is really that good.

Hubert was a man of astonishing intelligence and humour. This comes through well in this book of essays, which provide a good taster for his work. This book has great relevance for the world of today, and provides many insights into the troubles in Ireland, the Basque region, and the Balkans. What marks Hubert out for particular greatness as an essayist was his distinct brand of subtle, but mischevious, humour. He was always prepared to poke fun at sensless authority wherever it appeared, whether in the state, religion or the Academic world

This collection of brilliant and informative essays covers the important developments in the history of Chinese medicine.

In The Iroquois Ceremonial Of Midwinter, Elisabeth Tooker reviews and presents a synthesis of materials related to the redemptive/absolution ceremony as practiced by Iroquois in the 17th to 19th centuries. Material from the Code of Handsome Lake is included as well as observations by Beauchamp, Hewitt, Morganspeck, Parker, Blau, and Fenton. The author's own vast observation, experience and adoption into the Beaver clan are integral parts underlying the structural analysis of the rituals. This is a valuable work for both Native American and comparative religious studies. Though it is clear the speaker is nonNative, she challenges damaging assumptions such as the projection of aspiration to the dominant culture's values. I believe this book is also touching and memorable in its mourning of the passing of Seneca figures such as the author's friend, Elsina. She asks the painful question, can the religion of the Longhouse survive? Also of concern is the survival of the Seneca language. Though answers are not given, The Iroquois Ceremonial Of Midwinter presents as a unique, intriguing work with much painstaking detail and rich associations. The tone is pure and passionate, a gift in such a fine work of scholarship, sure to appeal to students and lovers of Iroqouis culture and history.

Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer